Suella Braverman wanted to scrap European human rights laws Photo: TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS
Home Secretary sacked after backing Allies former home secretary say it's Suella Braverman's hard-line plan for Rwanda.
Lord Murray, the leading human rights lawyer who steered Rishi Sunak's Stop the Boats Bill through the Lords, has been ousted for the last time. a week-long reshuffle that also resulted in Ms. Braverman being fired.
The colleague is believed to have been one of three signatories to a letter sent by Ms Braverman in which she argued for a rollback of European human rights laws before the Supreme Court ruled the Rwandan policy was illegal.
“It is believed that he was fired because he signed a harsh Plan B letter despite being the lead lawyer,” said a source in Suella’s camp.
Lord Murray, barrister with special experience in litigation. on immigration, declined to comment or “confirm or deny” whether he had signed the letter.
A government source said he never commented on individual decisions on the reshuffle, but noted that the letter's third signatory, Robert Jenrick, is a minister immigration, is still in office.
The Telegraph reported on Saturday that Mr Jenrick had signed the letter and was now pushing for a “belt and suspenders” approach to emergency legislation announced last week by the Prime Minister, which would declare Rwanda safe and bar anyone from taking legal action against the policy overall.
Rishi Sunak is under pressure to go further and, according to right-wing party sources, he is actively considering repealing the Human Rights Act when processing asylum claims to prevent a blockage ships on deportation flights from Rwanda. Number 10 declined to comment.
This will force the plaintiff to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The process will take time, during which time advocates hope Rwanda's policies can be proven to have worked.
But that is unlikely to satisfy Ms. Braverman and right-wing lawmakers who want the government to strip rights judicial review and included “notwithstanding” clauses that would allow ministers to ignore the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) without leaving the treaty.
Victoria Prentice, the attorney general, and Alex Chalk, the justice minister, are likely to oppose attempts to remove human rights laws.
It was reported over the weekend that Isaac Levido, the Conservative election strategist, is backing a harder line , as well as Mr Jenrick, who was described by one Conservative MP as “the representative of the right in government”.
On Sunday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the government would “do everything possible” to ensure deportation flights were sent from Rwanda.
Although last week he said the government could not guarantee flights before the election, he told the BBC on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “We expect planes to be flying into Rwanda in the spring. If necessary, we will change the law.”
“We are going to conclude a new international treaty with Rwanda. This is not an easy matter. We're going to solve the problems that frustrate people the most.
“It's going to take persistence. This will require determination.”
Legislation and a treaty that would pave the way for deportation flights and declare Rwanda a safe country for migrants seeking asylum will be delayed until at least the New Year.
A new legally binding treaty with Rwanda is expected to be published on this week and will impose new obligations on Rwanda not to expel any migrants deported to it by Britain. The move is intended to counter central criticism from the Supreme Court that Rwanda has sent rejected asylum seekers back to their home countries to face persecution.
However, it will likely be 42 days before before it is approved by Parliament, meaning that it cannot be ratified before the MPs and Lords adjourn. Christmas recess 19 December
It is understood that consideration of the Bill declaring Rwanda safe cannot begin in the House of Commons until the Treaty has been ratified and signed by Rwanda.
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